Barshim and Gatlin are the stars in Brussels, by Alfons Juck, EME News

Mutasz Barshim, photo by PhotoRun.net

Fascinating to me, that the high jump this year, has captured many fans. Barshim and Bondarenko compete against each other, all of the time, and in NYC, Birmingham, and now Brussels, it has been magic.

This season, the distance races that have been the most exciting have been the 1,500 meter for men and 1,500/3000 meter for women. Great races, epic confrontations, and thrilling finishes, the races are building personalities for the sport.

Too bad that, in most of North America, one can not see 12/14 DL live unless one has a cable connection. Not the way to build a fan base in the largest athletic market in the world.

Check out the numbers on You Tube replays of meet and events, and know that fans in US will actually watch Track & Field, like they will across the globe, if they can see it.

Understand needs to make revenue, but also long term growth, chances to reach non-footwear sponsors, the huge dollars, means millions and millions of track fans.

EME NEWS (SEP 5, 2014) UPDATE

Barshim and Gatlin the stars

BRUSSELS (BEL, Sep 5): Seven World leads at the end of the season, that must be a special evening. And it was before some 43 000 spectators at the AG Insurance Van Damme Memorial also with three meet records at IAAF Diamond League Final 2014. Justin Gatlin produced the best sprinting one evening double ever but the biggest attention (apart of home stars K. Borlee and Zagre and legendary Gaston Roelants at the end) went for Mutaz Essa Barshim and his so far best jumps of the season at the world record height 246. In para 200 m World record for US Richard Browne 21.62 (+0.1).

Event by event

Men

100 m: Gatlin like a rocket 9.77 (+0.6) was WL, PB (5th performer ever) and Diamond Trophy and Wild card for Beijing. 3 more sub 10 Rodgers 9.93, Powell 9.95, KBC 9.96. Also Gay solid 10.01.

200 m (non-DL): In one hour he did it, the best one evening sprint double ever, another great time 19.71 (0.0) for Gatlin. Ogunode surprisingly beat the rest.

400 m (non-DL): Crowd was pushing him, but Kevin was second 45.44 lost just to Quow 45.37.

1000 m (non-DL): Aman did not win (2:15.75) as Kszczot clocked 2:15.72 NR.

1500 m: Makhloufi was brave leader and rewarded with 3:31.78 win, but second Kiplagat gets the Diamond 3:31.80 as Kiprop faded to 12th.

Steeple: Birech great WL and PB 7:58.41, first years sub 8 (11th ever athlete sub 8). Mekhissi tried hard with 8:03.23 EL and US record for Jager 8:04.71.

110mH: PML was the Diamond winner before and confirmed his position with 13.08 (-0.1) over Ortega 13.13.

HJ: The top of the evening, Barshim 1st attempt over 243 WL, MR and Asian record (and DL record) and with space supporting serious chances to beat the WR. All his 3 attempts at 246 were nice and giving hope for future. Bondarenko after 240 clearance and failure at 243 went bravely for twice attacking the World record. Only Sotomayor twice jumped higher than Barshim on Friday (244 and 245).

PV: AirLavillenie cleared 593 WL and tried at 603 MR. He is the only one winning all five editions of DL in his event. Sobera and Fillipidis beat the rest but with only 565.

LJ: Golden jump of Mokoena in rd4 819 (-0.3) was worth of the Diamond Race win. First South African ever to get the trophy.

DT: Despite the win (Harting 67.57) the trophy goes to Malachowski 67.35.

Women

200 m (+0.1): Felix is improving with every race, now also the Diamond Race for her with WL 22.02 (+0.1) and Soumare with 22.11 PB beat Eurochamp Schippers 22.30. Okagbare only 6th.

400 m: SRR another top name from the past in good late shape 49.98. Diamond winner NVM third 50.42. Fourth Zemlyak 51.07 PB over Eurowinner Grenot.

800 m: Three under 2, Martinez was the strongest in the end 1:58.84, Diamond winner Sum third 1:58.94.

3000 m: Cherono confirmed her DR lead with 8:28.95 win over Eurochamp Hassan 8:29.38 NR, Genzebe close third 8:29.41 over Americans who ran sub8:30 PBÂ´s. 16 under 8:40.

100mH (non-DL): Castlin in 12.76 (+0.1) but Zagre worthy second 12.84 for the home crowd.

400mH: Spencer confirmed her position 54.12, Rosolova revenge for Eurochamps beating Child 54.54 to 54.76.

TJ: Another stellar season for Ibarguen 14.98 (-0.6), remains unbeaten, winning streak at 19.

SP: WL and MR for Adams 20.59, streak continues at number 56.

JT: Spotakova confirmed her lead and added MR and WL 67.99.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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